1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a continuously variable transmission and more particularly to a so-called friction gear type continuously variable transmission.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of conventional friction gear type continuously variable transmission is disclosed in Japanese Patent First Provisional Publication No. 61-124753. The transmission comprises an input cone disc, an output cone disc, a pair of friction rollers frictionally engaged with both the input and output cone discs, two roller supporting members (trunnions) for rotatably supporting the friction rollers, a first bearing supporting member for rotatably supporting respective shaft portions of the roller supporting members through a bearing, a second bearing supporting member for rotatably supporting the other shaft portions of the roller supporting members through another bearing, a first link post for supporting a middle portion of the first bearing supporting member and a second link post for supporting a middle portion of the second bearing supporting member. The first link post and the second link post are both fixed to a casing of the transmission.
However, due to its inherency in construction, it is inevitably necessary to fix the second link post to a lower portion of the casing and to fix a control valve body to the casing below the second link post. This arrangement induces however a bulky construction, that is, increased height of the entire construction of the transmission thereby making the loading of the transmission onto a body of the vehicle difficult. Furthermore, since it is necessary to provide the casing with an integral downwardly extending wall to which the second link post is secured, casting of the casing is difficult or at least troublesome.